When I was flown back to England from the far east I was put into the Royal Naval Hospital, HMS Haslar in Gosport near Portsmouth. It was here that I met Barry Adams.

I was the only person in the ward that afternoon when Barry came in carrying a soft broom and a large head. He started to sweep along the centre of the ward and as he reached a couple of beds before my one he swept between the beds. On approaching my bed he said, "Good afternoon." and continued, "How're you?" when he stopped at the edge of my bed and leaned his broom against my locker. He looked about 5'9" high, a slim and attractive man. Looking down on me smile like was immediately attracted by the dimples in his cheeks and the bright pink though in his eyes that gave him a mischievous look.

Propped up on the pillows I was lying on my back with the blankets down to my waist and my blue pyjama jacket was unbuttoned exposing a few inches off my chest. "Fine thank you." I beamed a wide smile to him as I replied, "I haven't seen you come to sweep the ward before." I told him laying stress on the pronoun.
"No.That's not my job." he paused to give me another wide warm smile, "I'm off-duty. I just wanted to pop in an' say hello 'cause you're in here all by yourself." I looked at his tattooed forearms sticking out from the rolled up sleeves of his uniform shirt as he spoke. "I wis passin' the window ov'r there yesterday an' saw yuh lying in the bed." He looked at for the door as though expecting someone to come in. "I was wonderin' when I get a chance to talk to you." he finished while lowering his arm after pointing to the window at the other side of the ward.
"I see." I said shyly as I looked at him standing beside me. "You can sit on the bed I don't have any injuries." I told him and patted the bed beside my left thigh while shifting myself to give him a little more room. Barry sat on the edge of the bed facing me.

He was very attentive and treated me with the kind of consideration, interesting smiles and warm almost sexual looks that I had seen my mates use when they chatted to girls. He stayed for about 15 minutes saying he had to go on duty and asked if he could visit me the following day.
Continued